Pagans say they're nothing to be afraid of

Festivals in Athens, Savannah on the way

Posted: Saturday, October 10, 2009

By Dana Clark Felty

SAVANNAH - For hundreds, maybe thousands of years, forms of paganism reigned over human spirituality. But after the rise of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, the word "pagan" became synonymous with "evil."

"Paganism is not something to be feared," said Paige McDuffie of Vidalia. "We're just regular people."

Pagans, wiccans and other followers of "earth-based" spirituality in Athens as well as Savannah are gearing up to celebrate the harvest season with a Pagan Pride Day in Bishop Park at 10 a.m. Oct. 24 and with the seventh annual Pagan Pride Festival next Saturday at Emmet Park in Savannah.

Organizers expect up to 300 people to gather for the Savannah festival.

"Our goal is education and awareness, to educate the masses and to be out in the open," said Adriana Aponte, 37, founder of the Savannah Pagan Pride Festival, the first in the state in 2002.

Today, the festival is one of at least five in Georgia and hundreds around the world.

Pagans resist structure or definition, usually recognizing anyone who describes him- or herself as a pagan. Pagan Pride.org lists definitions of pagans, but at the top is "honoring, revering or worshipping a deity or deities found in pre-Christian, classical, aboriginal or tribal mythology."

Paganism also can include shamanism, "earth-based spirituality" or a focus on a feminine god. Practitioners accept such labels as wicca, witchcraft, druid, neo-pagan, Native American spirituality or asatru. The festival brings them together under the umbrella of paganism.

Across the nation, forms of paganism seem to be moving into the mainstream.

In New York City, pagan high priest Dan Halloran is a Republican candidate for a district city council seat.

Halloran describes his faith as Theodism, "a cultural, religious and martial organization; dedicated to reviving the folkways of the Norman peoples of Northern Europe," according to his Web site.

The Unitarian Universalist Church has recognized wicca and other forms of neo-paganism since 1987 through its Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans - sort of a denomination within a denomination.

Still, some Christians aren't taking modern paganism lightly. In Adamstown, Pa., some businesses closed Sept. 12 when a group of self-described pagans and witches rented space to hold a festival.

"We believe in God, not in worshipping Satan or anything like that," business owner Terry Hertzog told The Associated Press. "We can't really support that, and as a result we're just going to stay closed."

Most pagans emphasize that Satanism is not a form of paganism, but rather a Christian notion. Such misunderstandings once meant being openly pagan was "really scary," Aponte said. "It's not like that any more."

Aponte said paganism's image has softened in recent years, partly aided by the environmental movement. Still, in the South where religion is a regular topic of casual conversation, some local pagans say they rarely use the word to define their beliefs.

Paige McDuffie, 40, has participated in the local Pagan Pride Festival almost since the beginning, both as a believer and as a vendor. McDuffie and her husband own Inner Journeys, to be renamed Art and Soul, a Vidalia retail shop selling spiritual and metaphysical products.

McDuffie's spiritual practices involve a daily meditation and giving thanks before every meal. When asked to whom she prays, she answered, "To whoever receives it. I'm just grateful."

McDuffie, Aponte and friend Juli Routon, 37, said they sometimes gather with other pagans on special days such as Yule and the summer solstice to mark the changing seasons. Or they may meet at the home of a struggling friend to pray for bad energy to go away or ask for blessings. All say their families also celebrate major Christian holidays with traditions borrowed from paganism, including decorating trees, putting up lights and painting eggs.